


Second Chances

by Artemis_Egeria



Series: I Will See You Where the Shadow Ends [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, WandaVision (TV)
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Billy and Tommy Maximoff, F/M, Hopeful Ending, I Made Myself Cry, The Author Regrets Everything, WandaVision spoilers, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic, hypothetical WandaVision ending, i really don't know how to tag this story, there is some hope i swear, written in one emotionally fuelled spurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 08:54:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29748042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: Major spoilers through Episode 8.Wanda has lost everything yet again, but this time maybe part of what she lost can be restored to her.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Series: I Will See You Where the Shadow Ends [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2195511
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> After the last episode, I honestly have zero idea how they will wrap everything up with only one episode left. There are so many unanswered questions. But this is the possible ending that kept sticking in my head. A lot of the details of the final confrontation are vague because I have no clue. The main info needed for context is that I’m assuming (solely for the purposes of this story) that Hex Vision and Billy and Tommy truly cannot live outside the hex. This is Wanda’s goodbye. 
> 
> I am also consoling myself with the assumption that no one besides SWORD has stepped in to try to help solely because of Agatha’s powerful magical interference.

This new Vision, who was only a shell of her former lover, took his leave of her when he climbed on the Wakandan jet to return to Princess Shuri. “I do not know what will happen after I speak with Princess Shuri, but I believe it would be best if we talk after her experiments are finished. It would be logical to determine a way we can at least work together amicably.”

Wanda couldn’t help but bristle. “She’s not experimenting on you. She’s trying to restore the real you.”

Vision eyed her curiously. “What do you call a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact if not an experiment? It was not meant to be a derogatory term. And am I not real? I exist in this world, I have a physical form. I believe that satisfies most definitions of the word.”

“Yes, but you’re not _you_.”

“Ridiculous. I am me. It is a tautology. I am simply not the prior incarnation of my physical form that you cling to.”

Wanda almost collapsed then and there at the complete lack of warmth in his voice. After all she had done, after all she had fought for, Vision was alive, but he was a stranger inhabiting her beloved’s body. She knew she’d done wrong many times over, but did she really deserve that?

But he continued. She almost dared to hope in a slightly softer tone. “Regardless. It is futile to discuss this now. We will debrief again when I have undergone Princess Shuri’s tests.”

She nodded weakly. Vision strode into the jet without another word. She watched it lift off. While she was grateful for the Wakandan aid that came as soon as she broke Agatha’s enchantment, she didn’t know what to think of Shuri’s confidence that she could restore Vision’s true consciousness. She couldn’t have her hope shattered again.

She was broken out of her thoughts by Stephen Strange clearing his throat behind her. His face was apologetic, but his voice was firm. “Wanda, it is time.” He was yet another person who came to her and her family’s aid in the final battle with S.W.O.R.D. and Agatha as soon as the spell broke. She had only talked to him briefly after the final battle with Thanos and at Stark’s funeral. But she knew he was right. She nodded, stepping toward the much smaller hex that contained her whole world.

Wanda and Strange had tried everything to see if her family could exist outside the hex, but every time it resulted in them slowly being torn apart. Wanda had shrunk the hex to free the residents of Westview during the final battle, but everyone agreed that it needed to be collapsed entirely. And so, Wanda would lose everything one more time.

She pressed forward into the hex to find Vision, Vision her husband, with his arms around each of his sons. They all looked up at her entrance. Vision smiled at her. It was strained, but she could tell he was trying his best. “Is all your business concluded with, uh, me, or a version of me?”

“For now.”

She stared at the people she loved best in the world. No matter how they came into being, they were real. And her love for them was the realest of all. She rushed forward to embrace them.

They all huddled together for an indeterminate time. Vision was the one to break away first, gazing sorrowfully at Wanda as the boys still snuggled between them. She could only gaze back. Her tears started to flow in earnest.

She cried so hard that pouring rain spontaneously formed around them. Billy and Tommy, having had enough cuddling, shrieked and ran into it. They splashed each other and jumped in the sudden puddles. They laughed with abandon.

Wanda felt more than grateful to be able to experience this moment of pure joy with her sons one more time. She glanced at Vision, and she knew he felt her intention. They joined the boys until they were all soaked to the bone.

The rain tapered off to a light drizzle. She could not draw this out any longer.

“Billy, Tommy, come here, please.” She opened her arms to them, and they ran to her. She ruffled their hair and kissed their heads, whispering of her love for them.

Then, she took Tommy aside. “I love you so much, my Tommy. I wish I could show you everything. I wish you could run around and learn to use your powers. Your real Uncle Pietro would be so proud. And I’m proud of you for fighting with us, even though I wish you never had to. I love you so much, now and forever.”

“I love you, Mom.” They clutched at each other until she had to let him go to speak to Billy. Tommy returned to embrace Vision. She didn’t know how she had any tears left.

When Billy approached Wanda, she placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a watery smile. “My Billy, you got all my powers. I think one day you could have been stronger than me. I wish I got to see that day. I’m so proud of how you helped us defeat the bad guys. I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you. But I don’t think this is the end. I think we’ll see each other again.”

She didn’t want to deny her son that hope, but she could not feel it herself. “Why do you think that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Just a feeling.”

Wanda accepted that with a nod, hugging him close to her once more.

Now it was time for the goodbye she had been dreading the most.

Billy and Tommy joined each other a short distance away as she walked toward Vision. “I never got to apologize for all the things I’ve said to you recently. I shouldn’t have threatened to control you. And I shouldn’t have denied what you tried to tell me. I’m so sorry, Vizh.”

“I’m sorry for rushing to accusations without hearing your side of the story, though they did turn out to be correct.” She flinched. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to reopen old wounds. I understand better now what . I know you didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

She leaned even closer, relieved when he reached out to hold her. “I do not fully understand what I am, but I know I love you and our sons.”

“And I didn’t realize I created you, but I love you.” The drizzle continued to fall around them. She didn’t know where her tears ended and where the rain began. “I’ll always love you and the life we had.”

“As will I.”

They stared deep into each other’s eyes. Any other words they might say would fail to express their true feelings. So, Wanda poured all the love she could into one more kiss. Vision parted his lips, and their mouths joined completely. They stayed together until Wanda could no longer breathe.

She rested her cheek against Vision’s chest to feel his heartbeat one more time. When they finally separated, Vision tenderly brushed her hair away from her face, wiping away some of her tears in the process. “Do what you have to do, Wanda. Just know that we are with you, and I have done my best to help them understand. We will always love you, no matter what.” He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it with the utmost devotion, before letting go of her.

Wanda backed away as Vision, Billy, and Tommy resumed their position from when she entered. She could not bear it one more minute or she would never complete the necessary task. She shouted one more expression of love, in Sokovian this time. Then, she backed out, so she could keep her eyes on her boys as long as possible.

When she emerged from the hex, Strange and Monica and the others were regarding her with compassion, and a slight wariness that she could not blame them for. But she only focused on them for a moment. Instead, she called up her powers and pushed her hands together. The hex grew smaller and smaller until it vanished in a flash of red light.

It was done. She was alone once more.

She was grateful that no one tried to offer her useless platitudes. Strange simply opened a portal and led her through to the temporary Avengers’ headquarters where Sam and Bucky were staying. They were also mercifully silent. They only asked that she call them if she needed anything.

What she needed was time to mourn.

***

Wanda spent the next few weeks doing mostly that. She mourned the future that would never be. She mourned the past that was gone for good.

She did break out of her isolation to join Sam and Bucky for meals. Sometimes their bickering was a pleasant distraction. Other times it grated on her already raw nerves. But it was a comfort to be around friends, nonetheless.

One such afternoon she was sitting in bed when someone knocked on her door. It didn’t sound like Sam or Bucky, and she couldn’t feel any ambient thoughts coming from them. She warily opened the door.

Vision stood there, in all his crimson glory, dressed just as she was used to seeing him in the compound. “Hello, Wanda. May I come in?”

She held her breath. His voice held the same softness and warmth that it always used to when he spoke to her. “Yes.”

She moved aside to let him in. She sat on the bed again, patting the space beside her. His smile lit up his whole face. “You remember?” she breathed. He settled down next to her, reaching for her hand.

“I remember everything. Princess, well, she insisted I just call her Shuri--. Shuri managed it.”

“And Westview?”

“No, I am sorry. I know only the barest outlines from a conversation I had with Doctor Strange.” She opened her mouth to question him, but he continued immediately. “He visited me while I was recovering, but he felt it would only be appropriate to share so much.”

Wanda took a deep breath. Few people got second chances like this. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you everything.”

And she did. Over the next few weeks she talked about the emptiness that had led her to S.W.O.R.D. and then Westview. And everything that had happened during the previous few months. It was hardest to discuss her Vision and their children, who were both real and not real.

There was much they still needed to talk about and relearn about each other, but they had time now.

***

Some weeks later Wanda and Vision were sitting on the couch watching a nature documentary. She wasn’t anywhere near ready to watch a sitcom again yet.

Suddenly, a familiar glow opened in front of them. “Stephen, you said you would warn us before doing that again.”

“I apologize, but I thought you would want to hear my news as soon as possible.”

Wanda crossed her arms and raised a brow at him. “And what news is that?” She suspected it was some ploy to encourage her to train with him, as he had been more and more insistent about.

“I believe I know why you manifested the sons you did.” Wanda clutched at Vision’s hand. “I know this may come as a bit of a shock, but I cross-referenced S.W.O.R.D.’s files of enhanced individuals they were tracking and found two boys that match your twins uncannily. I had to be sure before I talked to you, but I believe you somehow absorbed their files and used these boys as models for your sons.”

“What are you saying?”

“You can meet them if you’re ready. I’ll give you a moment.” He stood to the side.

Wanda still felt numb, so she turned to Vision. “What do you think?” He could be trusted to have a more objective view of the situation.

“I think…I think I would like to meet them. I trust that Stephen would only share the information if he was certain. I never got to know them the first time. Perhaps this is a second chance for both of us.”

Half of her had hoped that Vision would decline. But she knew this was the answer her heart hoped for. “Okay, let’s do it.” She stood and faced Stephen. “Take us to them.”

He ushered them through a new portal. It took them to a rundown apartment block that was painfully reminiscent of the places she and Pietro lived after their parents died. Stephen walked them inside and up to the fifth floor. He knocked on a door, which was promptly answered by a boy that took her breath away.

He was the very image of her Tommy if he had grown five years older. “Tommy?” Then, she noticed an identical face standing just behind him. “Billy?”

They stared at her and Vision open mouthed before turning to Stephen. “The people you told us about are _Avengers_?”

“Yes. Now, will you let us in? We have much to discuss.”

They opened the door wider. It also felt like a new future opening up before them.


End file.
